Warfare History Network » The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: Napoleon Bonaparte’s ‘Battle of Nations’ The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: Napoleon Bonaparte’s ‘Battle of Nations’ Home Daily Military History The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: Napoleon Bonaparte’s ‘Battle of Nations’ The Battle of Leipzig, 1813: Napoleon Bonaparte’s ‘Battle of Nations’ • April 10, 2015 Defeat in the Battle of Leipzig, 1813—also known as the 'Battle of Nations'—spelled the beginning of the end for Napoleon Bonaparte. by Michael Haskew Following the disastrous retreat of his Grand Armée from Russia in the winter of 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte, still a renowned military commander and the Emperor of France, recruited a new army and prepared to defend France against the coalition forces of Russia, Prussia, Sweden and Austria. Although he raised an army of 200,000, the force was barely one-third the size of that which he had taken into Russia, and its raw recruits were not of the fighting caliber of his lost veteran soldiers.

In contrast, the Coalition army numbered nearly 400,000, and it fielded 1,400 pieces of artillery, twice that of Napoleon’s inexperienced contingent. Gain new insight into the battle that brought the end of Napoleon’s rule in France. Get your copy of Warfare History Network’s FREE Special Report, The Battle of Waterloo In early 1813, Russian and Prussian forces invaded the Germanic state of Saxony, Napoleon’s only remaining ally on the European continent. The defense of Saxony was, in fact, the defense of France itself, and Napoleon moved to counter the Coalition thrust. In May, the French won victories at Lutzen and Bautzen, but Sweden and Austria entered the conflict that summer. Still, Napoleon appeared to have regained his old form, defeating combined enemy forces at Dresden on August 26-27. However, with three additional Coalition armies closing in, he retreated from Dresden to Leipzig and waited for the enemy to arrive, intent on dividing their forces and defeating each in turn. Closer Than Anticipated On October 16, French troops repulsed an ill-advised Prussian attack, launched by the Prince of Schwarzenberg without the support of the Russians.

The following day, French cavalry under Marshal Joachim Murat charged the Russians and nearly reached the field headquarters of Czar Alexander I before being driven back by Russian horsemen. Napoleon believed that the Prussians were too far away to mount a strong attack and repositioned some of his forces, leaving a single corps to defend the nearby town of Möckern. However, the Prussians were closer than anticipated; they captured the town and decimated the lone French corps. On October 18, the combined weight of the now consolidated Coalition armies had a telling effect, bludgeoning Napoleon’s line with relentless frontal attacks and continuous artillery barrages and forcing him to retire his flanks in preparation for withdrawal. The following day, as the Coalition forces prepared to attack Leipzig itself, Napoleon ordered Marshal Alexandre MacDonald to fight a rearguard action in defense of the city with 30,000 troops while the rest of the French army withdrew via the bridges across the Elster River. Crossing the Elster At 11 a.m.

on October 19, Napoleon crossed the Elster, and two hours later the bridge to the town of Lindenau was blown up, leaving 20,000 French troops marooned on the opposite bank. In a frantic effort to ford the river, many French soldiers were drowned, swept away by the current. Counting the cost, French casualties amounted to 70,000 dead, wounded, and captured. The Coalition lost 54,000 men. Napoleon retreated across the great Rhine River and prepared to defend France against invasion. The Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of Nations, was by far the largest engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. It also marked the first time Napoleon was defeated in a set-piece battle. The following spring, the triumphant forces of seven major European powers, known as the Sixth Coalition, defeated Napoleon, forced his abdication, and marched triumphantly into Paris. Article Meta Data Battle of Leipzig - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Battle of Leipzig A+E Networks Introduction Also known as the Battle of Nations, Leipzig was, In terms of numbers of troops engaged and amount of artillery, the biggest battle of the Napoleonic Wars.

Separate but coordinated armies of Russians, Prussians, Swedes, and Austrians brought 370,000 troops and 1,384 guns to the battlefield, whereas Napoleon’s strength stood at 198,000 men with 717 guns. Google The battle developed when Napoleon seized the Leipzig position, intending to divide his opponents and attack them one by one. The French almost had that chance on the first day of fighting, when the Prussian army engaged while the Army of the North, a Russo-Prusso-Swedish force under Bernadotte (a former French marshal), hung back. However, Napoleon became the victim of his own repeated changes of operational focus during this campaign. With allied strength building up on the second day of Leipzig, Napoleon spent most of the day redeploying, while on the final day allied numbers and combat power proved simply too much. Even in withdrawal there was disaster for the French-a premature destruction of the major river bridge at Leipzig trapped the French rear guard. Casualties quoted for the battle are usually 73,000 French and 54,000 allies.

Leipzig was the first occasion on which Napoleon was clearly defeated in the field (the Austrian repulse of Napoleon at Aspern-Essling in May 1809 brought about a stalemate, not a clear victory, and its effects were soon reversed by the Battle of Wagram; French defeat in Russia in 1812 was the product of strategic factors, not an army in the field). The French Grande Armee continued its westward retreat until, in 1814, the victors closed in on Paris and Napoleon abdicated. The Reader’s Companion to Military History. Edited by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Tags Monument to the Battle of the Nations | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Monument to the Battle of the Nations 204,343pages on Share Script error The Monument to the Battle of the Nations (German language: VölkerschlachtdenkmalScript error) is a monument in Leipzig, Germany to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig , also known as the Battle of the Nations .

Paid for mostly by donations and by the city of Leipzig, it was completed in 1913 for the 100th anniversary of the battle, at a cost of 6 million Goldmark. The monument commemorates Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig, a crucial step towards the end of hostilities in the War of the Sixth Coalition , which was seenScript error[ by whom? ] as a victory for the German people, although Germany as we know it did not begin to exist until 1870. There were German speakers fighting on both sides, as Napoleon 's troops also included conscripted Germans from the French-occupied left bank of the Rhine as well as from the Confederation of the Rhine . The structure is Script error tall. It contains over 500 steps to a viewing platform at the top, from which there are spectacular views across the city and environs. The structure makes extensive use of concrete, although the facings are of granite. The monument is widely regarded as one of the best examples of Wilhelmine architecture. It is said to stand on the spot of some of the bloodiest fighting, from where Napoleon ordered the retreat of his army.

[1] Contents The monument under construction in 1912 The monument in 2011 Edit Between 16–19 October 1813, the Battle of the Nations was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon aided by Polish and Italian troops as well as German-speakers from the Confederation of the Rhine. Napoleon's army was defeated and compelled to return to France while the Allies invaded France early the next year. Napoleon was forced to abdicate and was exiled to Elba in May 1814. Construction Edit In 1814 proposals to build a monument to commemorate the battle were made. Among the supporters of the project, author Ernst Moritz Arndt called for the construction of a "a large and magnificent (monument), like a colossus, a pyramid, or the cathedral of Cologne". Architect Friedrich Weinbrenner created a design for the monument that ultimately was not used. [2] In 1863, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the battle, a foundation stone was placed, but the memorial was not built.

[3] Clemens Thieme, a member of the Verein für die Geschichte LeipzigsScript error (Association for the History of Leipzig) learned during a meeting of the association about the past plans to build a monument. Interested in resuming the project, Thieme, who was also a member of the Apollo masonic lodge, proposed the project during a meeting and gained the support of his fellow masons. [1] In 1894, he founded the Deutsche PatriotenbundScript error (Association of German Patriots) which raised, by means of donations and a lottery, the funds necessary to construct the monument for the 100th anniversary . The following year, the city of Leipzig donated a Script error site for the construction. [1] The project was commissioned to Bruno Schmitz , due to his previous works at the Kyffhäuser . [2] The construction began in 1898. The chosen construction site was the spot where Napoleon ordered the retreat of his army. [3] Thieme financed part of the construction as well, and for his complete dedication to the project, he was named an Honorary Citizen of Leipzig. [4] In 1898, the construction started.

Script error of land was moved; 26,500 granite blocks were used and the project resulted in a total cost of 6,000,000ℳ (54,759,977€ in 2017), [1] the monument was finished in 1913. [2] Design and concept Edit Inspired by Weinbrenner's early project, [3] Schmitz constructed the monument over an artificial hill, [1] and selected a pyramidal shape for a clear view of the surroundings. [4] The base is Script error square. The main structure, at Script error, is one of the tallest monuments in Europe. It is composed of two storys. On the first story, a crypt is adorned by eight large statues of fallen warriors, each one next to smaller statues called the TotenwächterScript error (Guards of the Dead). On the second story, the RuhmeshalleScript error (Hall of Fame) features four statues, each Script error tall, representing the four legendary historic qualities ascribed to the German people: bravery, faith, sacrifice, and fertility.

[1] The statues of the monument were sculpted by Christian Behrens and his apprentice Franz Metzner , [2] who finished the remaining statues after Behrens's death in 1905. [3] Metzner worked on the sculptures at the top and inside the memorial. [4] Crypt of the Monument Add a photo to this gallery The memorial is constructed in granite and sandstone. The cupola is decorated with primitive Germanic shapes, inspired by Egyptian and Assyrian sculpture. Schmitz also planned to create an accompanying complex for ceremonies that would include a court, a stadium and parade grounds. However, only a reflecting pool and two processional avenues were ultimately completed. [1] Surrounding the monument are oaks, a symbol of masculine strength and endurance to the Germanic people of antiquity. The oaks are complemented by evergreens, symbolising feminine fecundity, and they are located in a subordinate position to the oaks. [2] The Script error main figure on the front of the memorial represents the archangel Michael , considered the "War god of Germans". [1] [2] The design of the monument was intended to commemorate the spirit of the German folk.

Unlike previous monuments that commemorated the achievements of the monarchy, this one was created to commemorate the end of the battle in 1813, the establishment of a German community, and the maturation of the Germans as an organised ethnic group. [3] From the Third Reich through the GDR to the present Edit During the Third Reich , Hitler frequently used the monument as a venue for his meetings in Leipzig. [4] When the US army captured Leipzig on April 18, 1945, the monument was one of the last strongholds in the city to surrender. One hundred and fifty SS soldiers with ammunition and foodstuffs stored in the structure to last three months dug themselves in, but were blasted with artillery and defeated. [5] During the period of Communist rule in East Germany from 1949 to 1989, the government of the GDR was unsure whether it should allow the monument to stand, since it was considered to represent the steadfast nationalism of the period of the German Empire .

Eventually, it was decided that the monument be allowed to remain, since it represented a battle in which Russian and German soldiers had fought together against a common enemy, and was therefore representative of Deutsch-russische WaffenbrüderschaftScript error (Russo-German brotherhood-in-arms). In 1956, the opening ceremony of the Gymnastics and Sports Festival took place in the memorial complex; the authorities stated that the monument could be interpreted as a symbol of "long-standing German-Russian friendship". [1] The festival planners focused the spirit of the celebrations on German history, and the ceremony as a symbol of the desired German union. [2] As of 2015 [update] , the monument is under restoration, with work scheduled to be finished by 2013, the year of the two-hundredth anniversary of the battle. The Monument of the Battle of Nations is located in the southeast of Leipzig and can be reached by tram lines 15 and 2 at Völkerschlachtdenkmal.

Later structures inspired by the Monument Game Menu, Battle of Nations, The Encirclement at Leipzig, October 16-19, 1813 Battle of Nations The Encirclement at Leipzig, October 16-19, 1813 The Battle of Nations is an operational level simulation of the battle between Napoleon's Grande Armee and four Allied armies (the Army of the North, the Army of Poland, the Army of Silesia, and the Army of Bohemia), which occurred on October 16-19, 1813, near the town of Leipzig in Saxony. Also known as the Battle of Leipzig, the 1813 contest saw the French surrounded and defeated by the combined forces of Prussia, Austria, Sweden and Russia in the largest and most decisive battle of the Napoleonic Era. To play this game Battle of Leipzig Research Papers on the Battle of Nations and Napoleon By the autumn of 1813, Napoleon had failed in his attempt to invade Russia . Seeking to retain his hold over Germany , Napoleon’s shrinking forces were retreating westward when the regrouped Coalition forces approached his position around the town of Leipzig.

Although he was greatly outnumbered, Napoleon took to the offensive. A hard fought first day resulted in a stalemate. A second day of fighting also proved inconsequential. By the 18th of October, Coalition forces were beginning to surround Napoleon, who then attempted to sue for an armistice, which was rejected. Many of Napoleon’s German allies then defected, so that by the 19th of October, Bonaparte began retreating. Battle of Leipzig.. Bloodiest Battle The Battle of Leipzig was one of the bloodiest in European history , with as many as 110,000 casualties. This was Napoleon’s first defeat and it emboldened the Coalition to press into France itself, eventually leading to Napoleon’s abdication and first exile on the Isle of Elbe. ee <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Related Research Paper Topics Napoleon and the Battle at Waterloo The career of Napoleon Bonaparte, the most famous leader in French history, ended when the Allied forces defeated the French at the Battle of Waterloo. Battle of Austerlitz Research Papers on one of Napoleon Napoleon responded to this threat by marching the Grand Armée into Austria.

Battle of Waterloo research papers discuss one of the most famous battles in world history. Napoleon's Military Leadership research papers emphasize on the swift offensive attack and the aggressive defensive position as well as the utilization of the elements of surprise and speed to confuse his enemies. Johann Christian Reil - German physician who treated wounded soldiers during the Battle of Leipzig and died after contracting typhus. Causes of World War I is believed to be the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the presumed heir to the throne of the Austrian-Hungarian king. How to Write a Research Paper on Battle of Leipzig This page is designed to show you how to write a research project on the topic you see to the left. Use our sample or order a custom written research paper from Paper Masters. Custom Research Papers - Custom written research papers on any topic you need starting at $23.95 per page. Custom Research Paper Services - Learn about all of Paper Masters' custom research paper and writing services. Your Research Paper Worries will end in Less Than 5 Minutes! Order a custom research paper on ANY topic.

Secure Online Ordering Exclusive Rules, Battle of Nations, The Encirclement at Leipzig, October 16-19, 1813 The Encirclement at Leipzig 17.5 Line of Communications [12.0] Introduction The Battle of Nations is an operational level simulation of the battle between Napoleon's Grande Armee and four Allied armies (the Army of the North, the Army of Poland, the Army of Silesia, and the Army of Bohemia), which occurred on October 16-19, 1813, near the town of Leipzig in Saxony. Also known as the Battle of Leipzig, the 1813 contest saw the French surrounded and defeated by the combined forces of Prussia, Austria, Sweden and Russia in the largest and most decisive battle of the Napoleonic Era. ↑ Start of page [13.0] The Scenarios There are actually three different versions of the Battle of Nations game; the First Day (October 16), the Third Day (October 18), and the Grand Battle game, which simulates the entire course of the battle. Each of these versions is called a Scenario and each Scenario constitutes a distinct game.

The three Scenarios share the same rules and Victory Conditions, but are differentiated by Game Length, Initial Deployment and Reinforcement Schedules. The First Day Scenario begins on Game-Turn One and ends on Game-Turn Five. The First Day Initial Deployment and Reinforcements through Game-Turn Five are used when playing the First Day Scenario. The Third Day Scenario begins on Game-Turn Thirteen and ends on Game-Turn Twenty. The Third Day Initial Deployment is used when playing the Third Day Scenario. The Grand Battle Game begins on Game-Turn One and ends on Game-Turn Twenty. The First Day Initial Deployment and Reinforcements for Game-Turns One through Twenty are used when playing the Grand Battle Game (the Third Day Initial Deployment is ignored when playing the Grand Battle Game). At the end of the last Game-Turn of the specific Scenario in play, the game is ended and the Players refer to the Victory Conditions to determine the victor (see 17.0). ↑ Start of page [14.0] Initial Deployment and Reinforcement Chart The Initial Deployment Chart specifies where units should be set-up on the map sheet prior to the First Game-Turn of the Scenario in play.

Units marked `absent` are not initially deployed, and enter the game as reinforcements. These reinforcements are specified on a Turn by Turn basis on the Reinforcement Chart (15.5). The rules governing the introduction of reinforcements are located in Case 15.0. On the Initial Deployment Chart, a `c` following the unit's Strength-Type means the unit is cavalry. All other unspecified units are infantry. There are no artillery units in the game. Note that two Initial Deployments are given; one for the First Day and Grand Battle Scenarios and a different Initial Deployment for the Third Day Scenario. Note also that certain units are listed as `destroyed` on the Third Day Initial Deployment. These units are not placed on the map or brought into play when playing the Third Day Scenario. They are, however, considered eliminated for demoralization and Victory Conditions for that Scenario. [15.0] Reinforcements General Rule: Players may receive reinforcements according to the Reinforcement Charts (15.5). These reinforcements are placed on the edge of the hex indicated on the Chart. Reinforcement units arrive during the Player's Movement Phase of the Game-Turn indicated.

If reinforcements' entry hexes are occupied or controlled by an Enemy unit, the reinforcements are delayed one Game-Turn. After the one Turn delay, the reinforcement units arrive at the nearest unblocked road hex on the same map edge as their original entry hex. Cases: [15.1] The Owning Player may enter his reinforcements onto the map at any time during his Movement Phase. [15.2] Once a unit has entered the map, it may move and engage in combat freely, just as any other unit already present. [15.3] Each reinforcing unit expends one Movement Point to be placed on the entry hex. Units may exceed the stacking restriction when entering the map as long as they conform to the stacking limit (one unit per hex) by the end of the Movement Phase. [15.4] Units may never voluntarily leave the map. Units which are forced off the map by combat are considered eliminated for Demoralization and Victory determination purposes (see 17.0). ↑ Start of page [15.5] Reinforcement Chart Reinforcements may not enter the map in Enemy controlled hexes. They may not enter the map if their specified entry hex is occupied.

Instead, they are delayed one Turn and appear at the nearest unblocked road hex on the same map edge. [15.51] French Army Appearing on Game-Turn Five on hex 0117: Strength 3 [15.56] Game Length The First Day Scenario consists of Game-Turns One through Five. The Third Day Scenario consists of Game-Turns Thirteen through Twenty. The Grand Battle Scenario consists of Game-Turns One through Twenty. Game-Turns Six, Twelve and Eighteen are Night Game-Turns. [16.0] Special Rule General Rule: Due to distinct historical circumstances, the following Special Rule is an amendment to the Napoleon at War Standard Rules. Game turns 6, 12 and 18 are night game turns. ↑ Start of page [16.1] Night Withdrawal During the Friendly Movement Phase of a Night Game-Turn, units may not enter Enemy controlled hexes. Units already in Enemy controlled hexes may, however, exit them. Note: This rule should be considered an amendment to Case 10.2 of the Standard Rules.

[17.0] Demoralization and Victory Determination General Rule: Demoralization represents the cumulative effect of combat losses on army morale. Each army (French and Allied) is assigned a Demoralization Level for each Day. For each Game-Turn, the Demoralization Level assigned to an Army represents the cumulative Strength Point loss which triggers the demoralization of that army. When playing the Third Day Scenario, units listed as `destroyed` in the Initial Deployment do count toward Demoralization Levels. Example: On Game-Turn Ten, the French Army is assigned a Demoralization Level of 110. If, anytime during the Tenth Game-Turn, the cumulative total of French Strength Points eliminated since the start of the Scenario reaches 110, the French Army is demoralized at the instant its Demoralization Level is reached. Case: ↑ Start of page [17.2] Effect of Demoralization At the instant either Player's Army is demoralized the game is ended and the Player owning the non-demoralized army is judged the victor.

↑ Start of page [17.3] Simultaneous Demoralization If both Players' armies reach, or exceed, their respective Demoralization Levels at the same instant (possible by an `Exchange` Combat Result), the Phasing Player is automatically considered the victor. ↑ Start of page [17.4] No Demoralization If neither Player's army is demoralized at the conclusion of the last Game-Turn of the particular Scenario in play, the game is considered a draw. ↑ Start of page [17.5] Line of Communications At the end of the last Game-Turn of the Scenario in play, any French unit which cannot trace a Line of Communications to hex 2131 is considered eliminated for Demoralization and determination of Victory purposes. This Line of Communications must be a path of contiguous hexes free of Allied units or Allied Zones of Control leading from the unit to hex 2131. The Line of Communications may not be traced through an Allied controlled hex even if occupied by a French unit.

Napoleon Bonaparte - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com Google Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Career Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. He was the second of eight surviving children born to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), a lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836). Although his parents were members of the minor Corsican nobility, the family was not wealthy. The year before Napoleon’s birth, France acquired Corsica from the city-state of Genoa, Italy. Napoleon later adopted a French spelling of his last name. Did You Know? In 1799, during Napoleon’s military campaign in Egypt, a French soldier named Pierre Francois Bouchard (1772-1832) discovered the Rosetta Stone. This artifact provided the key to cracking the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics, a written language that had been dead for almost 2,000 years.

As a boy, Napoleon attended school in mainland France, where he learned the French language, and went on to graduate from a French military academy in 1785. He then became a second lieutenant in an artillery regiment of the French army. The French Revolution began in 1789, and within three years revolutionaries had overthrown the monarchy and proclaimed a French republic. During the early years of the revolution, Napoleon was largely on leave from the military and home in Corsica, where he became affiliated with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group. In 1793, following a clash with the nationalist Corsican governor, Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), the Bonaparte family fled their native island for mainland France, where Napoleon returned to military duty. In France, Napoleon became associated with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), the brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force behind the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence against enemies of the revolution.

During this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. However, after Robespierre fell from power and was guillotined (along with Augustin) in July 1794, Napoleon was briefly put under house arrest for his ties to the brothers. In 1795, Napoleon helped suppress a royalist insurrection against the revolutionary government in Paris and was promoted to major general. Napoleon’s Rise to Power Since 1792, France’s revolutionary government had been engaged in military conflicts with various European nations. In 1796, Napoleon commanded a French army that defeated the larger armies of Austria, one of his country’s primary rivals, in a series of battles in Italy. In 1797, France and Austria signed the Treaty of Campo Formio, resulting in territorial gains for the French. The following year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed France since 1795, offered to let Napoleon lead an invasion of England. Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not yet ready to go up against the superior British Royal Navy. Instead, he proposed an invasion of Egypt in an effort to wipe out British trade routes with India.

Napoleon’s troops scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, at the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, however, his forces were stranded after his naval fleet was nearly decimated by the British at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798. In early 1799, Napoleon’s army launched an invasion of Ottoman-ruled Syria, which ended with the failed siege of Acre, located in modern-day Israel. That summer, with the political situation in France marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted to abandon his army in Egypt and return to France. The Coup of 18 Brumaire In November 1799, in an event known as the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon was part of a group that successfully overthrew the French Directory. The Directory was replaced with a three-member Consulate, and Napoleon became first consul, making him France’s leading political figure. In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one of France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out of Italy.

The victory helped cement Napoleon’s power as first consul. Additionally, with the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, the war-weary British agreed to peace with the French (although the peace would only last for a year). Napoleon worked to restore stability to post-revolutionary France. He centralized the government; instituted reforms in such areas as banking and education; supported science and the arts; and sought to improve relations between his regime and the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which had suffered during the revolution. One of his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which streamlined the French legal system and continues to form the foundation of French civil law to this day. In 1802, a constitutional amendment made Napoleon first consul for life. Two years later, in 1804, he crowned himself emperor of France in a lavish ceremony at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Napoleon’s Marriages and Children In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow six years his senior who had two teenage children.

More than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no offspring of his own with Josephine, he had their marriage annulled so he could find a new wife and produce an heir. In 1810, he wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), the daughter of the emperor of Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their son, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known as Napoleon II and was given the title king of Rome. In addition to his son with Marie Louise, Napoleon had several illegitimate children. The Reign of Napoleon I From 1803 to 1815, France was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, a series of major conflicts with various coalitions of European nations. In 1803, partly as a means to raise funds for future wars, Napoleon sold France’s Louisiana Territory in North America to the newly independent United States for $15 million, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase . In October 1805, the British wiped out Napoleon’s fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar .

However, in December of that same year, Napoleon achieved what is considered to be one of his greatest victories at the Battle of Austerlitz, in which his army defeated the Austrians and Russians. The victory resulted in the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine. Beginning in 1806, Napoleon sought to wage large-scale economic warfare against Britain with the establishment of the so-called Continental System of European port blockades against British trade. In 1807, following Napoleon’s defeat of the Russians at Friedland in Prussia, Alexander I (1777-1825) was forced to sign a peace settlement, the Treaty of Tilsit. In 1809, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram, resulting in further gains for Napoleon. During these years, Napoleon reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated in the French Revolution) and began handing out titles of nobility to his loyal friends and family as his empire continued to expand across much of western and central continental Europe. Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication In 1810, Russia withdrew from the Continental System.

In retaliation, Napoleon led a massive army into Russia in the summer of 1812. Rather than engaging the French in a full-scale battle, the Russians adopted a strategy of retreating whenever Napoleon’s forces attempted to attack. As a result, Napoleon’s troops trekked deeper into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign. In September, both sides suffered heavy casualties in the indecisive Battle of Borodino. Napoleon’s forces marched on to Moscow, only to discover almost the entire population evacuated. Retreating Russians set fires across the city in an effort to deprive enemy troops of supplies. After waiting a month for a surrender that never came, Napoleon, faced with the onset of the Russian winter, was forced to order his starving, exhausted army out of Moscow. During the disastrous retreat, his army suffered continual harassment from a suddenly aggressive and merciless Russian army. Of Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only an estimated 100,000 made it out of Russia.

At the same time as the catastrophic Russian invasion, French forces were engaged in the Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish and Portuguese, with assistance from the British, driving the French from the Iberian Peninsula. This loss was followed in 1813 by the Battle of Leipzig , also known as the Battle of Nations, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a coalition that included Austrian, Prussian, Russian and Swedish troops. Napoleon then retreated to France, and in March 1814 coalition forces captured Paris. On April 6, 1814, Napoleon, then in his mid-40s, was forced to abdicate the throne. With the Treaty of Fontainebleau, he was exiled to Elba, a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy. He was given sovereignty over the small island, while his wife and son went to Austria. Hundred Days Campaign and Battle of Waterloo On February 26, 1815, after less than a year in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the French mainland with a group of more than 1,000 supporters.

On March 20, he returned to Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The new king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), fled, and Napoleon began what came to be known as his Hundred Days campaign. Upon Napoleon’s return to France, a coalition of allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians and Russians–who considered the French emperor an enemy began to prepare for war. Napoleon raised a new army and planned to strike preemptively, defeating the allied forces one by one before they could launch a united attack against him. In June 1815, his forces invaded Belgium, where British and Prussian troops were stationed. On June 16, Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny. However, two days later, on June 18, at the Battle of Waterloo near Brussels, the French were crushed by the British, with assistance from the Prussians. On June 22, 1815, Napoleon was once again forced to abdicate.

Napoleon’s Final Years In October 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote, British-held island of Saint Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. He died there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most likely from stomach cancer. (During his time in power, Napoleon often posed for paintings with his hand in his vest, leading to some speculation after his death that he had been plagued by stomach pain for years.) Napoleon was buried on the island despite his request to be laid to rest “on the banks of the Seine, among the French people I have loved so much.” In 1840, his remains were returned to France and entombed in a crypt at Les Invalides in Paris, where other French military leaders are interred. Tags Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig - Monument to the Battle of the Nations - Overview Monument to the Battle of the Nations Overview The Trust Monument Also known as the Monument to the Battle of the Nations, the huge temple to death and freedom in Europe rises 91 metres into the sky on a site near where Napoleon’s command post stood during the Battle of Leipzig in 1813.

364 steps lead to a viewing platform which gives phenomenal views of Leipzig and the surrounding area. The impressive monument complex with the integrated Forum 1813 museum covers four hectares and gives spectacular insights into the events of the Battle of Leipzig and its aftermath. Völkerschlachtdenkmal Choir: For viewing our little film you need the Quicktime-Player,which you can download here . Straße des 18 Oktober 100 04299 Leipzig Fon 0341/2 41 68 70 Fax 0341/2 41 68 7137 Free for children and school students ages under 6 more Admission charges for our museums can you find here . Events Please see our programme of events . Further information is published in the local press. Opening hours Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. November – March Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Viewing plattform Audio tours in German, English, Spanish and French, for children in German How to find us Car park in front of the monument Tram route 15 from Leipzig central station to “Völkerschlachtdenkmal” stop A special note Once again we have become aware that the far right National Democratic Party (NPD) is spreading its repellent ideology in its local newspaper “Sachsen Stimme” below the image of the Völkerschlachtdenkmal. As the Völkerschlachtdenkmal is a public building, we unfortunately cannot forbid the use of its image. What we can do, however, is to express our objection to the implied connection between one of Leipzig’s landmarks and a way of thinking that scorns both critical commemoration and the European culture of remembrance. In the 90 years of its existence, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal has been often misused as a historic legitimization for the ideology of various political movements such as the monarchists in the Weimar Republic, the Nazis in the Third Reich and the Stalinists in East Germany.

We regret that once again the image of Europe’s biggest monument is being misused as part of an effort to promote a perception of nation and society which for the overwhelming majority of Germans belongs firmly on the scrapheap of history.

Question: Which 1813 battle was also known as the Battle of the Nations?
Answer: Leipzig